Iva Toric’s exponential development as a performer and songwriter continues with the third single “Trust Fall” from her pending second album release entitled Dead Reckoning. The San Francisco based artist hasn’t allowed the pandemic and its lingering remnants arrest her career progress as the singer/songwriter’s 2020 debut The Devil’s Mark made a big splash despite landing at the wrong time.
BANDCAMP: https://ivatoric.bandcamp.com/track/trust-fall
She’s weathered that darkness and emerged wiser as a result. “Trust Fall” shows off some of the overall wisdom she’s learned along the way at life’s sometimes unforgiving hand, but it doesn’t mean that it is a dreary slog through despair; far from it. Toric and her creative cohorts on this project, drummer Dylan Howard and multi-instrumentalist/arranger Gregg Cash, plumb the experience and cost of a leaving a toxic relationship in a way few other songwriters have ever explored.
Cash’s guitar work strikes the right note without ever going overboard. It is a metal track, without question, but he avoids the usual suspects for metal histrionics while still wringing every ounce of intense, near-claustrophobic emotion from his instrument. He lays down a deep and mobile groove as bass player, as well, with rhythm section partner Howard. Howard’s playing demonstrates a tight grip on rock fundamentals while breaking off into modern metal/hard rock drumming as well.
The lyrics are pointed and don’t mince words. It’s one thing for a songwriter to face a subject such as infidelity, there’s countless examples for that to work from, but someone writing about breaking free from an unhealthy relationship is a different kettle of fish. Toric, however, writes about it with brutal honesty and insight. It does feel like she’s ripping a page from her autobiography and allowing us a look into her world but, ultimately, it doesn’t matter. If it is a second-hand experience, she’s done a breathtaking job of capturing it for listeners.
Anyone looking for virtuoso musical trips should turn elsewhere. Toric’s brand of metal isn’t about the musicians involved demonstrating their mastery of the instrument but, instead, serving the song. She assumes that role as well in her capacity as vocalist. Her voice isn’t the sort of pyrotechnic wonder you might expect for a metal singer, it’s common, but comes across instead as a much more subtle and nuanced instrument capable of conveying emotion where others cannot.
Pain and a sense of liberation radiate from this song. It’s a chronicle of an agony endured but the song’s existence is the final triumph of a life set free once again rather than suffering. Cash’s guitar and bass playing embodies it, and Howard’s thunderous percussion puts an exclamation point on it that listeners will not soon forget. Iva Toric’s “Trust Fall”, the third single from her second album Dead Reckoning, illustrates yet again what a powerhouse sophomore release she’s ready to unleash on us all. This singer/songwriter is quickly gathering momentum and positioning herself to remain a force for years to come. Get in with her now and be a party to watching and hearing her continue to blossom.
Claire Uebelacker